Die-casting machine



8 Sheets-Sheet 2 l.. H. Mom

DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1'924 sept. 11, 192s.

ATTORNEYS.

sept. 11, 192s. 1,683,721

L. H. MORIN DIE CASTING MACHINE v Filed Aug. 14, 1924 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 A T TORNEYS Filed Aug. 14, 1924 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS Sept. l1, 1928.

L. H. MoRlN DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1924 S Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

8 Sheets-Sheet 6 4 Nmw 1 mw. 0x4 MG1d mu. HMA .Ad Lce En.. MF ko@ 2 y. l L. l L im ,Sept 1l, 1928. 1,683,721

L. H. MORIN DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1924 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 2Q@ 367/1' yay/f 'Il l lux-111114@ 676 ,zz/ i? 1NVENToR.

ATTORNEYS,

- LoUIs n. MORIN, or Nawy operation,

'Patented sept. 11, 1928.

.UNIrIeDM STATES PATErVr o1-*Fleau Yo'nx, my., AssIGNon 'ro DOEHLER m'nlcns'rING ',co., n

conronArIoN oF NEW Yonx.

DIE-CASTING MACHINE.

Application filed .-August 14, 1924. Serial No. 731,947.

`My invention relates to die Icasting machines, and has among its objects the -productionof a completelyautomatic die casting 'machine which is strong, durable, eificient, dependable, safe, convenient, rapld 1n simple in construction, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. Other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

My invention includes various features of construction and combinations of parts, as will appear from the following description.

I shall now, describe the automatic die castinglfmachine embodying my invention illustratediin the,accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Fig. 1 is a front side elevation of a complete die casting machine embodying my invention, partly in section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts omitted and partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section on the offset line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is in part an end elevation as viewed from the left in Fig. 1 and in part a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, drawn to about the scale of Fig. 3;

Fig. Sis a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 on the line 5-5 of Fig; 1; v

Fig. 6 `is a somewhat less enlarged partial longitudinal verticalv section on the oifset line 6 6 of Fig. 2, partly broken away;

Fig. 6 is a further enlarged view of parts of the ingot-feeding mechanism appearing in Fig. 6 but broken away on a different plane to show other parts of the mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a greatly enlarged partial longitudinal vertical section taken for the most part on the line 7 -7 of Fig. 2, but being in some parts offset therefrom.v

Fig. 8 (Sheet 2) shows in enlarged longitudinal vertical section parts of the ingotfeeding mechanism' which appear at the top and left in Fig. 1, and also in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8a is an end view of one of the ingots, vtothe scale of Fig. 8;

' Fig. 9 (Sheet 1) is a partial vertical transverse section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7, but drawn to a less enlarged scale, and partly broken away;

Fig. 10 (Sheet 3) is a horizontal section on the line 10-10 of Fig.v 7

Fig. 11 (Sheet 7) is a horizontal section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a development, drawn substantlally to the scale of Fig. 1, of one of the cam units forming the cams for operatingthe die body slide and the core-positioning slide, this cam-forming unit being shown as divided along the top line in Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a similar view of one of the cams for operating the die cover plate slide;

Fig. 14 is a similar viewof the cam for operating the ingot-feeding mechanism, including the pot cover, divided substantially along the bottom line in'Fig. 1;

Fig. 15 is a similar view of the cam for operating the valve device the compressed air, shown as drawn to a scale to harmonize with Figs. 12, 13 and 14;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged partial horizontal section on a plane indicated by the line 16-16 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 17 is a partial vertical transverse section on the line 17-17 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 18 is an enlarged inverted plan or edge view of the clutch-controlling cam as viewed from below in Fig. 1.

The completely automatic die casting machine illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as an embodiment of my invention, will now be particularly described.

The construction of this machine, as a whole, and the general arrangement of the principal parts thereof; such as, the driving means, the sectional die and its operating means, the combined pressure chamber and melting pot, together with the-furnace therefor, the means for supplying pressure fluid to the pressure chamber, the ingot-feeding mechanism, and other parts and features involved in the invention are shown in Fig. 1, to which reference will first be had.

A driving pulley 1 is fixed upon the outer end of a main drive shaft 2, which, adjacent to the pulley 1, is journaled in an outboard bearing 3 and at its inner end is journaled in the machine frame end part 4. A clutch element 5 is splined upon the drive shaft 2 to slide thereon and to .be rotated thereby, and this movable clutch element 5l is adapted to engage vanother clutch element `6, formed integral with a pinion 7, which is loosely mounted upon the drive shaft 2, adjacent in control of ill! lllb

the frame part 4. The pinion 7 meshes with an intermediate gear 8 fixed upon the outer end of a short shaft 9 journaledy in the frame end 4 and upon the inner end of which is fixed a inion 10, shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. he pinion 10 meshes with three similar cam-operating gears 11, 12 and 13, these gears being triangularly arranged, with the gears 11 and 12 above and at the rear and front of the machine respectively, while the gear 13 is at the midd e of the machine below the pinion 10. The cam gears 11 and 12 are firmly secured, respectively, to the adjacent ends of two axialthrow barrel cams 14 and 15, for example, by means of pins 16 and 17, shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

These cams 14 and 15 are twin cams, that is to say, they are alike, and, as will hereinafter appear, serve the double purpose of operating the cover plate section of the sectional die, and also are in control of an ejectordevice. The cams 14 and 15 are fixed respectively upon horizontal parallel cam shafts 18 and 19 and may be pinned thereon, as shown by the pin 20 for the cam 15 in Fig. 1. Also firmly fixed on the respective cam shafts 18 and 19 are twin cam units 21 and 22, which, however, are mounted to be adjustable along the cam shafts for a purpose and by means to be herein-A after described. Each of the cam members -or cam units 21 and 22 comprises two axialthrow barrel cams formed in one piece and performing different functions, one of these cams, that shown at the left in Fig. 1, being an operating carn for the die body section and the other of these cams being a corepositioning cam, as will presently appear. The cam shafts 18 and 19 are journaled in the machine frame for slight longitudinal movement in their bearings and the inner projecting ends of each of these shafts is surrounded by a strong thrust-receiving compression spring 23, which is backed up by nuts 24, which are adjustable upon the ends of the shafts. 'The nuts 24 bear against a collar 25, which is interposed between these nuts and the outer end of the spring 23. Similar thrust-receiving ball bearings 26 are interposed, respectively, between the spring 23 and the collar 25, between the other end of the spring 25 and a collar adjacent a part 27 of the machine frame, and at the outer end of the cam shaft between a collar 28 adjacent the frame part 4 and end nuts 29 adjustable upon the cam shaft.

The lowerv cam ear 13 is firmly secured directly to an axia -throwV barrel cam 30 by means hereinafter to be described, which provide for rotative adjustment of the cam 30 relativel to its operating gear 13. The gear 13 an cam 30 are both mounted upon a horizontal cam shaft 31, journaled in the machine frame parallel with the cam shaft 18 and 19, and 1n axial alignment with the 1,ees,7a1

drive shaft 2. The gear 13 is loosely mounted on the cam shaft 31, but the cam 30 is adapted to be fixed upon the cam shaft 31 in a desired position of rotative adjustment by means of a set screw 32, as shown in Fig. 1. The purpose of this rotative adjustment of the cam 30 upon the cam shaft 31 and relatively to the gear 13 will hereinafter appear. The cam 30 is for operating a pot cover and ingot-feedine mechanism of which the pot cover forms a feature. A cam 33 for operating a valve device in control of the supply of compressed air or other suitable pressure fluid employed for ejecting the molten metal from the pressure chamber into the die, as will be hereinafter described, is also fixed upon the cam shaft 31 by means which are described hereinafter. The cam shaft 31 is provided with a ball thrust bearing at the rear of the middle frame part 27, and with another ball thrust bearing between the cam gear 13 and the rear frame part 4, as shown 1X1 Fig: 1.

The movable clutch element 5 is controlled by a yoke lever 34 pivoted upon a rear support 34 by means of a ivot pin 35. A link 36 is pivoted at one end) to the lower end of the oke lever 34 and at its other end is pivote to the outer or rear end of a short sliding bar 37, which is guided in the frame end 4. A small rock-arm 38 engages at its u per end in a recess in the slide-bar 37 and is xed upon a clutch-controlling shaft 39, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A small vertically arranged push plate 40 is held between shoulders on the outer end of the slide bar 37, so as to be movable in both directions by the slide bar 37, and at its upper end the push plate 40 is adapted to engage the inner side of a collar-forming abutment nut 41 on a spring-pressed pin 42 guided in the frame part 4 and having a reduced portion which is surrounded by a compression spring 43, which tends to draw the pin 42 inward, the reduced portion of this pin being suitably flattened so as to prevent rotative movement thereof in the frame part 4. The inner end of the slidable pin 42 carries a cam roller 44 which is engaged by an annular clutch-controlling cam 45 which is fixed upon the adjacent face of the cam gear 13, as shown in Fig. 1, this cam 45 having therein a comparatively short cam recess 46, as shown most clearly in Fig. 18, and in which the cum roller 44 is shown as seated in Figs. 1 and 16. A manually operable clutch-controlling lever 47 is fixed upon the forward end of the clutch-controlling shaft 39, as shown in Fig. 3. Also, for more convenient operation, a pedal hereinafter referred to, may be located at a convenient position and connected to the clutch-controlling shaft 39, in order that the clutch may be controlled by means of the foot, if desired.

An inner slide or die body slide 48, an

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`vupon the frame of `the machine for sliding movement relatively to each other and also relatively to the discharge nozzle of the pressure chamber. vStrong sliding rods 51 and 52 pass through the rear or cover plate slide and are firmly, but adjustably, secured therein by means of nuts 53. These rods 51 and 52 project outwardly or rearwardly from the cover plate slide 50 and are guided in bearings in the outerl or rear frame part 4, as

shown in Figs 1, 2 and 3; and the rods 51 and 52 extend forwardly or inwardly and vpass through and are guided in the core-positioning slide 49 and also in the die body slide 48 beyond which they project towards the pressure chamber. It will be noted that the rods- 51 and 52l yslide with and virtually or in effect form a part of the die cover plate e slide 50.

rlhe `die body slide 48 upon its lower side carries a pair of cain rollers 54 which en-v gage respectively in similar continuous cam grooves 55 formed'in the respective cam units 21 and 22, each of these cani grooves 55 forniing a die body cam at the left or inner end of the coriesponding cam unit. The corepositioning slide 49 on its lower side carries a similar pair of cam rollers 56, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, which engage in sinnlar continuous cam grooves 57 in the respec tive cam units 21 and 22 and which form -core-positioning cams at the right or outer end portions of these cam units. Similarly,

the die cover plate slide isl provided on .its lower side with a pair of cani rollers 58,

. which engage respectively in similar continuous kcamgrooves v59 in the respective cover plate cams 14 and 15.y Running parallel i with the sliding rods 51 and-v52 are outboard .The construction of these .heads and the core-positioning mechanisms carried thereby are shown more particularly in Figs. 1,

7, 10 and 11. As the two core-positioning mechanisms are similar, a single description will suiiice for both. Each such mechanism is operated from the core-positioning slide 49, and reference will now be had more particularly to the mechanism carried by the upper core-pulling head 62. An operating rack 66, extending parallel to the sliding 'rods 51 andl 52 and tothe guide' rods 60 and 61, is secured at its outer end to the core-positioning slide 49 by means of a bolt 67. This rack 66 is guided to slide in the head 62 and engages a pinion 68. Two

small pinions 69 are shown as formed integral with the pinion 68 at each side thereof and are provided with extensions 70 jour nalcd` in bearings 71 (Fig. 11). The small pinions 69 respectively mesh with two lar er pinions 72, having inner ends 7 8 journa ed in the head 62 and outer ends 74 journaled in bearing blocks 75 on the head, (Fig. 10.). The pinions 72 engage a vertically arranged core-positioning rack 76 guided to slide on the core head 62. Mounted for vertical adjustment on the core rack 76 by means of bolts 77 is a core operating block or bar 78. Vertical core studs 79 pass through the bar 78 to be operated thereby and have a push-pull lost-motion operating connection therewith by means of outer and inner adjustable nuts 8O and 81. The inner ends of the core studs 79 are connected to a core bar 82 to which is dctachably vsecuied a core-carrying bar or plate 83 which carries the vertical cores 84 which cooperate with the body section of the die.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 7 more par ticularly, the dic comprises an inner die section or cover plate 85 and an outer die section or die body 86. The inner or cover plate section 85 is detachably but firmly directly secured upon the inner ends of the sliding rods 51 and 52 by means of nuts 87, the rods 51 and 52 together with the cover plate slide 50 thus being movable as a unit and forminga carrier for the die cover plate 85. The die body section 86 is mounted upon the die body slide 48 through the intermediary of a table shaped block or spacer 88, to the ends of the spaced legs of which the die body 86 is bolted as shown in Fig. 9, the plate portion of the spacer block 88 lying adjacent to the front wall of the die body slide 48 and being irml secured thereto by means of four rectangu arly arranged tubular bolts comprising two upper bolts 89 and two lower bolts 90.

Mechanism is provided for positioning horizontal cores in the die body 86, and also mechanism for operating casting-ejecting pins, and these mechanisms will now be described. Between the plate portion of the spacern88 and the die body 86 is a two-part core plate comprising a backing plate 91 and a core-carrying plate 92, and between till this core plate and the plate portion of the spacer 88 is a two-part ejector plate comprising a backing plate 93 and a pin-carrying plate 94. A central core 95 commonly called a gate post because it cooperates with the gate to the die, is shown as mounted on the core-carrying plate 92, and it is to be understood that this plate may carry any number of other cores, as may be required in the articular casting to be produced by the mac ine. Two ejector pins 96 are shown as carried by the pin-carrying plate 94, these pins passin'g through openings in the core plate and into the die body 86, it being understood that any required number of such ejector pins may be provided and variously arranged according to the kind of casting to be made.

Core rods 97, shown as three in number, triangular-ly arranged, are screwed into the plates 91 and 92 which form the core plate. The two upper core rods 97 pass through and are guided in the upper tubular bolts 89 while the lower core rod 97 passes freely through the plate ortion of the spacer 88 and through the a jacent front wall of the die body7 slide 48, and all three of these core ro pass freely throu'frh openings in the rear wall of the die body slide 48 and then pass freely through thecoreosition ing shde 49 with which latter slide t ey have a push-pull lost-motion operating connection y means of outer nuts 98 and inner nuts 99, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It is also to he noted in this connection that the core rods 97 pass freely through openings in the ejector lates 93 and 94.

T ree triangularly arranged ejector rods 100 are shown as rovided of which there are two lower ro s passing through and guided in the two lower tubular bolts and an upper rod assing freely through the plate portion o the spacer 88 and through the front wall of the die body slide 48, the inner ends of all of these ejector rods being screwed into the ejector plates 93 and 94. These ejector rods 100 extend outwardly and pass freely through o enings in the rear wall of the die body slit e 48 and also freely through openings 1n the core-positioning slide 49 and at their outer ends pass freely through openings in the cover plate slide 50 with which they have a usb-pull lost-motion operating connection y means of adjustable inner nuts 101 and outer nuts 102, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The tubular bolts 89 and 90 serve a particular purpose. By reason of the fact that the core rods 97 and the ejector rods 100 always have fixed positions in the machine, the utilization of (he tubular bolts 89 and 90 as guides for some ofl these rods assures that the spacer 88 and consequently the die body 86 will in all cases be correctly positioned on the die body slide 48.

The die cover late 85 is provided with a renewable or rep accable gate-forming nozzle 103 which is recessed as shown to receive and cooperate with a renewable or replaceable discharge nozzle 104 provided on the pressure chamber or casting pot 105, refer,- ence being had more particularly to Figs. 1, 6 and 7. The pressure chamber 105,

which is also a melting pot, is su ported in the upper art of a furnace or fire box 106, which is ined with fire bricks 107. A suitable burner, not shown, but which may be a gas burner, such as is .commonly emplolyed, is provided for the furnace 106, for me ting the metal in the pot 105 and for maintaining this metal at the proper temperature for casting.

The pot 105 is open at the top and a sliding cover 108 for closing the normali open top of the pot is provided and is s idable from the openposition thereof shown in full lines in Fig. 6 to the closed position shown in broken lines in this figure. The forward ends of a air of cover operating links 109 are pivoted) at 110 to the pot cover 108 (see Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 8) and at their rear ends are adjustably connected by means of nuts to clevises 111 which'pivot upon a small shaft 112, carried by the upper end of a substantially vertically arranged twopart rocking lever 113 which at the back of the furnace 106 is fulcrumed upon a shaft 114 which is mounted on the furnace. The lower end of the lever 113 is pivoted at 115 to a link 116, the other end of which is pivot.- ed to a sliding block 117 at the pivot point 118. The block 117 is guided to slide freely upon a push rod 119 provided for operating a valve device in control of the pressure fluid, as will be hereinafter described. One end of an intermediate rod 120 is adjust ably connected to the slide block 117 and the other end of this rod 120 passes freely through a clamp 121-which is fixed u on a slidable main operating rod 122 for s iding the intermediate rod 120 towards the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6, the clamp 121 engages a compression spring 123 on this ro 120, this compression spring being backed up by nuts 124, and the rod 12,0 may be retracted by the block 121 coming into engagement with nuts 125 on the adjacent end of this rod.

The lever 113 is provided with an arm 126 extending towards the furnace 106 and which is pivoted by means of a pivot stud 127 to a vertically arranged rod 128 which at its upper end is mounted to slide in a bearing 129, which is pivoted to rock on a bracket 130 secured to the hack of the fui',- nace. The lower end of the rod 128 is provided with ahead 131 which carries a pin working in a slot in the adjacent end of a lever 132 which is pivoted to rock on a bearing block 133 by means of a pivot pin 134, the bearing block 133 being clamped upon the slidable air valve rod 119; It is to be noted that the pivot stud 127 for the lever arm 126 is not mounted directly upon the slidable rod 128 but is carried y a sleeve or bearing block 135 which may slide on the rod 128, stop nuts 136 being provided on the rod 128 above the bearing block 135 and Imi iii"

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f which the rod 119 is a compression sprinv` 137 being interposed between the bearingl lock and the head 131 on the lower end of the rod 128, so that the rod 128 in its downward movement will be operated through the sprin 137, for a urpose which 'will hereina r appear.

he rocking lever 132 o rates the air valve lunder the control of tie lever 113 which operates the pot cover 108. The sliding rod 199, for operating the air valve through the v. intermediary ofthe lever 132, 1s retracted ond of a link 143 by means of a pivot pin 144. The other end of the link 143 is piv- -oted upon abutting crank pins 145 carried 'b crank arms 146 fixedv upon axially a igned rock shaft parts or sections 147 journaled .in bearings 148 below the furnace 106. The two-part rock shaft 147 is divided into two parts or sections between the crank arms 146 for convenience in assembling,` thereby avoiding the necessity of making a s lit or divided bearing on the link 143 (iifig. 4

At the front and rear sides of the furnace I' 106 upwardly extending connecting rods or pear.

- links 149 are pivoted at their lower ends on crank arms 150 carried by the outer ends of the two-part rock shaft 147. Normally, or when the machine is at rest and as is shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the end cranks 150 extend downwardly and towards the right or outwardly at substantially an angle of 45 degrees, while the inner crank arms 146 extend at an angle nearly half way between the crank arms 150 and a vertical plane passing through the axis ofthe rock shaft 147. The connecting rods 149 are slidable through guidin bearings 151 which are pivoted on the urnace cover 152 and these rods 149 pass through and by means of nuts 153 are adjustably secured to the ends of a cover-clamping yoke 154. At its middle the yoke 154 is provided with van adjustable clamp screw 155 which may be locked in adjusted position by meansof a lock nut 156, the lower end of this clamp screw 155 being adapted to engage the pot cover 108 for holding it down tightly upon the top of the potin its closed position in the operation of the machine, as will hereinafter ap An ingot-feeding device, forming a part of a complete ingot-feeding mechanism, will now be described. Mountedupon the furnace-cover 152, as shown invFlgs. 1 and 6, are supports 157 upon the lupper ends of which is mountedwa bracket 158 which supports an inclined ingot-carrying rail 159 down which U-shaped ingots 160 are adapted to slide'by gravity. Two similar pins 161 and 162, forming ingot-engaging fingers, are

guided in the ingot-guiding rail 159 and are4 provided with rack teeth engaged by a gear segment 163 which is adapted to rock upon a short shaft 164 extending through the rail 159. against each other on the rail 159 but at The U-shaped ingots160 abut their ends are provided with grooves, as

shown in Figs. 8 and 8, for the reception of the plns or fingers 161 and 162. Below the rail 159 the gear segment 163 has pivoted thereto an inclined pin-restoring rod 165,

the upper end of which is guided in the bracket 158 and which is urged away from this bracket 158 by a coiled compression spring 166 which acts between the bracket 158 and nuts 167, for returning the gear segment 163 and ingot-controlling and 162, to their original positions after they have been actuated for dropping an ingot into the pot A105 through means now to be described. l

- The parts of t-he ingot-feeding mechanism for operating the ingot-feeding device include an operating link or pull rod 168 pivoted at one end to the gear segment 163 at the back ofthe rail 159 and below the pivot shaft 164 of the gear segment 163. The operating rod 168 passes slidably through a guide 169 and the guide 169 is Alined upon the small shaft 112 which is journaled in the upper end of the two-part roeking lever 113, so that when the lever 113 is rocked in the operation of the machine, its angular movement will cause the guide 169, together with the shaft 112, to have a rocking movement upon this lever 113.

A sprocket chain 170 on the lever 113 runs over sprocket wheels 171 and 172 of 'which the lower sprocket wheel 171 is journaled between the two parts of the lever 113 on a short rock shaft 173 carried by this lever 113 and the upper sprocket wheel 172 is loosely journaled upon the hereinbefore mentioned upper shaft 112. The sprocket chain 170 includes a predetermined number of special links each of which is provided with a hook or lug 174 and each of these lugs 174 is adapted, in its turn, to be brought into position to engage a dog 175 mounted on the pull rod or link 168 which operates the ingot feeding device. The dog 175 abuts against a collar 176'which is adjustably backed up by a nut 177 on the link rod 168 and the dog 175 is held against the collar 176 by means of a compression spring 17 8 which abuts against nuts 179 on the rod 168. It should be noted that the nuts 179 are not engaged by the guide 169. The dog 17 5 is provided, las shown in the drawings, with a rounded ridge seating in a correpins 161 lll?! lli) sponding transverse groove in the collar 176, so that normall the dog 175, ab its lower projecting portion, will be maintained in the path of the lugs 174 so as to be operated thereby to effect an ingot-feeding operation. However, whenever it may be desired to make the ingot-feedin device nonopera tive, the dog 175 ma e manually rotated on the link rod 168 by means of a handle 180, thereby shifting the downwardly projecting part of the dog 175 out of the path of the lugs 174.

A ratchet wheel 181 is journaled on the lower sprocket-carrying shaft 173 and is rigidly connected to the lower sprocket wheel 171. A movable pawl 182 for operating the ratchet wheel 181 step by step is carried by an operating arm 183 xed upon the roc-k shaft 173. A link 184 connects a crank arm 185, fixed upon the forward end of the rock shaft 173, with a similar crank arm 186 fixed upon the forward end of the upper shaft 112, which latter shaft, as hereinbefore noted, `is fixed to the guide 169 so as to be rocked thereb A holding pawl 187 for the ratchet w eel 181 is ivoted on the lever 113 in order to lock t e lugcarrying chain 170 against backward movement.

The means for admitting compressed air or other suitable pressure fluid into the pressure chamber 105 to eject the molten metal therefrom through the nozzle 104 into the die will now be described. Any suitable valve device may be employed for controlling the suppl of such pressure iuid and in the machine s own in the drawings a valve 188 of the poppet type and of well known construction is shown as employed for this purpose. The inlet side of the valve 188 has connected thereto a supply pipe 189 lead ing from any suitable source of pressure fluid, compressed air being commonly employed for this urpose, and that is the pressure fluid which has been employed in the operation of the present machine. A combined air delivery and exhaust pipe 190, which for the most part is shown as a flexible metallic hose, connects the outlet side of the valve 188 with the pot or pressure chamber 105 near the top thereof. l

The slidin operating rod 122 adjacent its outer end lhas fixed thereon a bracket 191 upon the upper side of which is mounted a cam roller 192 which enga es in a continuous cam groove 193 forme in the cam 30. The operating rod 122 is guided for sliding movement in the lower part of the fralnex of the machine, includin a guide bracket 194 for the outer end of this rod, another uide bracket 195 inwardly from the camv 3 the inner end frame part 27 and the frame part 196 beneath the furnace 106 and adjacent the inner end of this rod 122. The air valve 188 is provided with a valve lever 197, pivoted upon a small bracket 198, and engageable 'with the outer end ofthe valve stem 199 to ated to open the valve, the supply pipe 189 'f is placed in communication with the potconnccted pipe 190 and the exhaust port 201 is closed. Below the die sections and 8G there is laced a pan 202 into which tho castings rop when they are ejected from the Vf die body 86.

The outer end of the push rod 119 for operatin the air valve 188 is rovided with a cam ro ler 203 to be engaged liy a compara-- tlvely short cam rise 204 on the cam 33, thereby operating this rod to open the air valve 188. The push rod 119 is guided for sliding movement in the frame parts 27, 196 and 140 and rotative movement of this rod is prevented by means of upstanding clips 205 mounted on the rod 119 and en aging with the inner end of the cam s aft wl, adjacent the frame part 27, as shown in It is desirable to be able to turn the machine over idly, in order to test the adjustment of its several parts without makin a casting, although the ot may at the time have molten metal t erein. For this purpose means are provided permitting the machine to be thus idly operated without opening the air valve 188. For this purpose the air valve cam 33 is backed up b a removable abutment pin 206 passing through the cam shaft 31 and normally holding the cam 33 at its valve operating ositon, this cam 33 being made to rotate with the cam shaft 31 by means of a key 207 by which the cam 33 is splined on the cam shaft 31. By removing the abutment pin 206 the cam 33 may be readily slid outward upon its shaft 31 to a non-operative position in which it will fail to engage the cam roller 203 whereby when this cam rotates it will not oper- `ate the push rod 119 and accordingly the air valve 188 will remain closed.

Means are provided for adjusting the die body 86 relatively to the die cover plate 85 so as to assure the proper cooperation of these die sections, such adjustment being particularly necessary when the die is changed, in view of the fact that different die sections may be of different thicknesses. For this purpose, means are provided for adjustin the cam units 21 and 22 alon the cam sha ts 18 and 19 toward or away rom the cover late cams 14 and 15. A screwthreaded s eeve 208 is loosel mounted for rotation on each of the cam s afts 18 and 19 but is prevented from movement along these shoulder 209 formed upon each of the shafts 18 and 19. The sleeve' 208 screws into the adjacent outer end of the corresponding cam unit, 21 o'r 22, so that thereby rotation imparted to the sleeve 208 will slide the cam unit along vits shaft. For convenience in 'effecting adjustment and also in order to assure equa adjustment of the two cam `units 21 and 22, the two cam-adjusting sleeves 208 are connected together for .uni'

' 'tary rotation by means of asprocket chain 210 passing over sprocket wheels 211 shwn as formed in one piece with the respective sleeves 208. A lock nut 212 is provided for each of the sleeves 208 in order to ixit in ,adjusted position. The nuts 53 onfthe slide i rods 51 and 52 may be employed for electi a fine adjustment between the die secs tions 85 and 86, in view of the fact that the springs 23 obviate the necessity of a fine adjustmentof the cover plate die section 85 to the discharge nozzle 104.

The cam 33 for operating the air valve -188 may be rotatively adjusted, together with the cam 'shaft 31, this adjustment belair valve 188 so that this valve will -necte ing provided for4 byl the hereinbefore mentioned set screw- 32, which permits the cam shaft 31 to be set at different angular positions in the cam and in its operating gear 13 throughfwhich the cam shaft 31 loosely passes, as hereinbefore` described. This angular or rotative adjustment of the cam 33 provides for adjusting the timind of the be operated at just the proper` time in relation to the other parts of ythe machine. Also the cam 30 may be rotatively or angularly adjusted for thereby timing the closing and opening movements of the sliding pot cover 108 which 1s operated thereby. Thisl adjustment rof the cam 30- may/be' effected throu h the means by which this cam is conto its operatingfgear 13. For this purpose, the cam 30 is provided with a split neck or extension 213 which is adjustably clamped b means of bolts 214 upon a boss 215 provi ed' on vthe gear 13, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. It will now be evident that V cams 30 and 33 may be angularly 'adjusted together as a unit or independently of each` other, as may be desired.

bolts 217 are guided inbores in the frame part 4 and are surroundedrespectively by the sprino's 216, which act between the heads of these bolts and shoulders formed in the bolt-guiding bores, so that the springs tend to draw the bolts inward. The outer ends of the bolts: 217 pass through the ends of a 'transverse' bar or plate 218 which is clamped thereto by means of inner nuts 219 and outer nuts 220 on the bolts 217. The clutch-dlsengaging pin 42passes through the center of the plate 218 and is clamped thereon against the hereinbefore mentioned abutment-torming nut 41 by means of an outer nut 221.

vThe clutch, comprising the elements and 6, may be of any suitable construction and may be, for example, an ordinary toothed clutch, or it may be a friction clutch. However, with the particular clutch o erating mechanism shown, the clutch'itsel should be adapted to stayin the engaged condition, and such a clutch is therefore employed. The clutch employed in the machine illustrated in the drawing is a well known form of friction clutch, commercially known as the Johnson clutch, of which it is considered unnecessary to show the details of construction.

In addition to, or in place of, the clutchcontrolling hand lever 47 and for greater convenience in controlling the clutch, a suitable clutch-controlling pedal (not shown) may be provided at a convenient place at the front side of the machine and connected to the clutch-controlling shaft 39, thereby leaving both hands of the operator tree.

rlhe core heads 62 and 63 near their inner projecting ends are each provided with a pair of set screws 222 which are adapted to be screwed out to 'jam their heads tightly against the adjacent legs of the table-shaped spacing block 88 at points adjacent the die body section 86, and these set screws may be locked in place by means of jam nuts 223. These set screws relieve the die body 86 and its supporting means from the strain incident to the pulling of the. vertical or transverse cores 84, this strain-being transmitted by these set screws to the strong and rigid core heads 62 and 63. Also the set screws 222 firmly brace the die body 86 so as to assure its perfect alignment with the die cover plate when these die sections are brought together at the casting position. It is to be noted in'this connection that both of the die sections 85 and S6 are so firmly and securely supported and guided that the usual dowel pinscommonly employed for aligning purposes have been dispensed with as unnecessary, it having been found in the construction shown that without dowel pins the die body section 86 closes against the die cover plate 85 in perfect alignment therewith. l

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A water circulating system is provided for cooling the die sections 85 and 8G, but has not been shown on the drawings, 1n view of the fact that. such water cooling systems are well known in the art.

The operation of the machine as a whole will now bedescrihml. Whenever it 1s desired to operate the machine, the driving pulley 1 is continuously driven from any suitable source ot power, for example, an electric motor. In order to initiate a casting operation, the operator may either move the clutch lever 47 towards the right or he may depress the hereinbefore mentioned pedal (not shown), whereupon the upstanding lever arm 38 on the clutch shaft 39 pushes` the sliding bar 37 outwardly or towards the right as shown in Fig. l, thereby, through the link 36 and the yoke lever 34, shifting the slidable clnteh element 5 into engagement with they clutch element 6 on the pinion 7. and this pinion 7, through its connections hereinbefore described, starts the entire machine into operation. Also the clutch-engaging movement o f the sliding bar 37 pushes the plate 40 outward, thereby withdrawing the sliding pin 42 against the tension of the compression springs 43 and 216, thereby moving the cam roller 44 on the pin 42 out of the depression 4G in the clutcheontrolling cam 45. Immediately after the cam gear 13 starts to rotate the long raised portion of the cam 45 comes into engagement with the cam roller 44, therebypreventing the s )rings 43 and 216 from disengaging the clutch element 5, whereupon the lever 47 (or the pedal) may be released and the clutch will remain in its engaged condition. At the end of the cycle, completin a casting operation, the cam recess 46 wi l again come opposite the cam rollern44, whereupon the springs 43 and 216 will operate through the connections hereinbefore described to disengage the clutch element 5 from the clutch element 6 and the machine will stop, ready to be started again for the next succeeding castnn' operation.

If cesired, the machine can be made to operate continuously without stopping between successive casting operations merely by keeping the hand upon the lever 47, to hold it to the right, (or the foot upon the pedal), thereby, as will be readily understood, preventing the elutch-disengaging springs 43 and 216 from disengaging the clutch. Also, if desired for any reason, the machine may be stopped at any time during the cycle by moving the clutch lever 47 from its right hand to its left hand position. In such a case the slidin pin 42 will still be held at its outer pos1tion by the cam 45 against the tension of the springs 43 and 216, but the plate 40 is free to slide inward along the pin 42. There is therefore nothing to interfere with the manual disengagement of the clutch at any time.

When the clutch is engaged, as above described, and the machine starts to operate1 power is transmitted from the pinion 7 to the gear 8 and from the gear 8 through the shaft 9 to the pinion 10, and from the )inion l0 to the cam gears 11, 12 and 13. e cam gears 1l, 12 and 13 now set into rota tion concomitantly and at the same rate all of the hereinbefore described cams, namely, the twin cover plate cams 14 and 15 the two similar cam units 21 and 22 comprising the twin die body cams and the twin corepositioning cams 57, the cam 30 for operatmg the pot cover 108 and the ingot-feeding mechanism, and the air valve cam 33. In proper relative timed relation and through a complete cycle, the cover plate cams 14 and 15 now operate the combmed cover plate and ejector slide 50, the die body cams 55operate the. die body slide 48, the core-positioning rams 57 operate the coreositioning slide 49, the combined ingot-fee ing and pot-cover cam 30 operates the sliding o erating rod 122, and at the proper time tie air valve cam 33 operates the push rod 119. The cover plate slide 50 carries with it the sliding rods 51 and 52, which now move the die cover plate towards the pot 105 until the gate recess in the gate-providing nozzle 103 is lirmly seated u on the rounded outer end ot'- the pot nozz e 104 under the pressure of the tensioned springs 23. Durin the movement of the die cover plate 85 t e die body 86 is also moving inward towards the pot 105 but at a more rapid rate than the movement of the die cover plate 85, as will be evident by reason of the steeper contour of the die body cam rooves 55, as shown in Fig. 1, and also in ig. 12 at the top and left, as compared with Fi 13 at the top, so that by the time the gate nozzle 103 is seated upon the pot nozzle 104, the die body 86 has overtaken the die cover plate 85 and is firmly closed against it.

While the die body slide 48 and the cover plate slide 50 travel inward at the Sametime, the greater distance covered by the die body slide 48 moves the latter away from the cover plate slide 50, so that during the first part of this relative movement, the lost-motion spaces provided between the nuts 101 and 102 on the ejector rods is taken up, and after that en agement of the nuts 102 with the cover ate slide 50 will result in the die body s 1de 48 moving inward relatively to the ejector rods 100, thereby withdrawing the ejector pins 96 out of the die cavit and to their retracted casting position in t e die body 86, the full withdrawal of the 'ejector plns 96 being accomplished substantially at the time when the die body 86 closes against the die cover plate 85.

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while the die body slide 48 is moving inward, as above described, the core-positionn ing slide 49 also kmoves inward at a somewhat faster rate, as determined by the contour of the 'core-positioning cam grooves 57, as shown in Fig. 1 and at the 'top in Fig. 12. This relative Vvmovement of the core-positionin slide 49 towards the die body slide 48 first takes up the lost-motion space between the nuts 98 and 99 on the core rods`97, after which inward movementvis imparted to the horizontal cores such as the core 95.

Also, as the core-positioning slide 49 moves inward towards the die body slide 48, the core operating racks 66 :for the vertical cores 84 are moved inward in the core heads 62 and 63, and operate the gearing hereinbefore described as carried by these core' heads, thereby moving the core operating bars 78 inward towards the die body 86, with the result that first the lost-motion space between the nuts 80 and 81 on the core studs 79 is taken up after which the vertical cores 84 are moved inward to their-casting position in the dic body 86 similarly and substantially concomitantly with the corresponding movement of the horizontal core 95.

In this connection it is to be noted that none of the cores are pushed into their final or casting position in the die body 86 until after the ejector pins 96 have been fully retracted out of their way, so as to avoid breakage. Therefore, the contour of the core-positioning cam grooves 57 is made such, and as is shown in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 12 at the top and right, that the cores are not moved into their casting position in the die body 86 until after the die body 86 has been closed against the die cover plate 85, and hence not until after the ejector pins 96 have been fully retracted, as hereinbefore described. Also, in the machine shown in the drawings, the cores are pushed to their casting position after the die cover plate 85 has been seated upon the pot nozzle 104.

The provision of lost motion on the ejector rods 100, so that these rods may have a predetermined limited amount of free movement on the cover plate slide 50 between the adjustable nuts 101 and '102, serves a double purpose -in that vthereby both the extent of movement imparted to the ejector pins 96 and also their final position in the die body 8G may be adjusted. This feature ot adjustment is important by reason of the :tact that for the production of different kinds and sizes of castings the die is changed and the different die bodies may be of diii'erent thicknesses and have their die cavities of ditferentdimensions. For a similar reason the lostmotion operating connection is provided between the nuts 98 and 99 on the horizontal core rods 97 and also between the nuts 80 and 81 on the vertical core studs in Which the springs 23 provide a yielding seating of the gate nozzle 103 upon the discharge. nozzle 104, and the reason for this will now be given. It is to be noted, as hereinbefore described, that the cam shafts 18 and 19 may slide outwardly in their bearings, thereby to compress the springs 23. In view of the fact, as also hereinbefore described, that all of the slide operating cams, namely, the diecover plate cams 14 and 15, and the cam units 21 and 22 comprising the die body cams 55 and the core-positioning cams 57, arefirrnly fixed upon the cam shafts 18 and 19, thls entire cam grou and their cam shafts 18 and 19 must shde together as a. unit. Also, by reason of the engagement, as hereinbetore described, of the cam rollers on the slides 48, 49 and 50 in the respective cam grooves, these slides are locked to the cams and must therefore partake of the sliding movement. of the cam group. The contour of the cam grooves 59 in the die cover plate cams 14 and 15 is made such and the die cover plate 85 in its retracted-position 1s so spaced from the ot nozzle 104 that the gated nozzle 108 wi l seat upon the discharge nozzle 104 before the full cam rise or dwell-providing part of the cam groove 59 is reached, the result being that, as the die cover 85 has its inward movement arrested by the discharge nozzle 104, the further rotation of the cover plate cams 14 and 15 will cause an outward movement of these cams together with the cam units 21 and 22 and cam shafts 18 and 19, thereb compressing the springs 23, whereby a yiel able seating of the gate nozzle 103 upon the discharge nozzle 104 is obtained, it being understood, however, that the springs 23 are sufficiently strong to maintain a tight seal between the nozzles 103 and-104 while the molten metal is being forced into the die.

lt will be clear that the movementof the slides 48, 49 and 50 relatively to each other, will not be affected, but that only that component of movement of` the slides which otherwise would carry them inward as a unit to a further point is utilized to impart an opposite sliding movement to the cams, whereby the springs 23 are compressed.A This yieldable spring-pressed seating of the gateproviding nozzle 103 upon the discharge nozzle 104 is provided in order to secure a rm seat between these nozzles regardless of the varying amounts of expansion of these noz# zles and other parts of the machine, dueto heat.

At this phase in the cycle of voperation of the machine, the die has been closed and clamped to the no'azle 104 in casting position,

the ejector pins have been retracted and the llU taking place, other operations have also taken place through which the pot cover 108 has been slid from its open position shown in-Fi 1, and in, full lines in Fig. 6, to the cl osition thereof shown in F 1g. 6 in broken ines, and also the air valve operating lever A132, controlled by the rocking lever 113,' has been broufvht thereby A position in which it win te einem@ to be subsequently operated by the alr valve operating cam 33.

A s hereinbefore described, the cam 30 rotates concomitantly with the cams 14 and 15 and cam units 21 and 22, and this rotation of the cam 30,'by reason of the engagement of its cam groove 193 with the cam roller 192 on the bracket 191, slides the operatng rod 122 from the position thereof shown in Figs. 1 and 6, towards the left as viewed in these figures. The rod 122 carries with it the clamp or bracket 121, which pushes against the spring 123, which in turn pushes against the abutment-forming nuts 124 on the rod 120, so that this rod 120 partakes of the sliding movement of the operating rod 122 and carries with it the block or slide 117, which, as hereinbefore described, may slide freely upon the push rod 119. The block 117 through the connecting link 116, rocks the long upright lever 113 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6 and from the full line position thereof shown in Fig. 6 to the broken line position there shown, thereby, through the connecting links 109, sliding the pot cover 108 from its open to its closed position.

Also the sliding movement of the operating rod 122 through the connections hereinbefore described, rocks the two-part rock shaft 147 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6, thereby pulling the upwardly extending links 149 downward to initiate the downward movement of the yoke 154 and its clamp screw 155 during the closin movement of the ot cover 108 and finally, aer the pot cover as closed, to bring the lower end of the clamp screw 155 down with strong pressure upon the top of the closed ot cover 108, thereby to clamp the latter mly uponthe top of the pot so as to form a fluid ti ht seal therewith. At the completion of ta closingl movement of the pot cover 108, the nuts 124 on the pot cover operating rod 120 strike against the frame part 196, after which the further movement of the main operating rod 122 compresses the s rin 123 while this main rod 122 is eifectmg t e Aiinal or cover-clamping downward movement of the clamp screw 155.

In this connection it is to be noted that during the closin movement of the pot cover 108, the be -crank arm 126 on the lever 113 will move the small vertical rod 128 downward, and this rod 128 will rock the small lever 132 from the inclined ineffecto, al

' the push rod 119 to its origina tive or nonoperative position thereof shown in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 6 to the horizontal position thereof shown in broken lines in Fig. 6 and in which this lever 132 is then in an operative or eiective position in ali nment with the lower end of the air valve Elever 197.

The cams 14 and 15, the two cams formed on each of the cam .units 21 and 22 and the cam 30' have now al1 reached middle dwell portions in their cam grooves, at the oints of engagement of these grooves with t e respective cam rollers, so that for a suitable time during the further concomitant rotation of these cams, the die will remain closed and clamped to the discharge nozzle 104, and

the pot cover 108 will remain closed and clamped upon the to of the pot 105. When this part of the cyc e of operation has been reached, the machine is in condition for the molten metal to be forced from the pot 105 through the discharge nozzle 104 into the die, and this is now effected by reason of the cam rise 204 on the cam 33 coming into enl gagement with the cam roller 203 on the push rod 119. U to this point, the cam 33 has turned idly, ut when the cam rise 204 engages the cam roller 203, it will slide the push rod 119 away from the position thereof shown in Figs. 1 and 6 and towards the left as viewed in these figures, compressing the spring 138. In this sliding movement the push rod 119 carries with it the bracket block 133 upon which the lever 132 is ivotally mounted, as hereinbefore descri d. This lever 132 having previously been shifted to its effective position during the closing movement of the pot cover 108, as above described, will now be moved by vthe bracket block 133 towards the left as viewed in Fig. 6 in the broken line position, and b reason of the fact that the lower end of t e valve lever 197 is now in the path of the left hand end of the lever 132, the valve lever 197 will be rocked on its givot and will push the valve stem 199 inwar against the tension of its spring 200, thereby closing the exhaust port 201 of the valve 188 and opening communication between the air supply pipe 189 and the pipe 190 which leads to the ressure chamber 105, and the pressure o the compressed air above the molten metal in the pot 105 will shoot the molten metal through the discharge nozzle 104 and gateforming nozzle 103 into the die. The molten metal very quickly sets or hardens in the die, so that it is necessary to maintain the pressure in the pot 105 only for a short eriod of time, this period being determined y the length of the cam rise 204 on the cam 33. As soon as the cam rise 204 passes the cam roller 203, the spring 138 returns position and retracts the valve operating lever 132, thereby permittingthe valve spring 200 to pull out't-he valve stem `199, thereby shutting off the supplyA of compressed air from the supply lpipe 189 and placingthepipe 190 in communication with the exhaust port 201, so that the air under pressure in the pot 105 may now exhaust to the atmosphere.

Should the pot 'cover 108 in its closmg movement strike against any obstruction, such, for example, asa piece of metal which might accidently get in its path, the spring 123 will yield and thus prevent the breaking of the connections through which the cover 108 is operated. Also, asa means of assuring safety to the operator and others, anything which stops the movement of the cover 108 .before it is entirely closed will also l prevent the valve operating lever 132 from being rockedto its eifective position, and -accordingly the left hand or valve operating end of this lever will be on a level below the lower end of the valve lever 197, so that as the cam rise 204 moves this lever 132 towards the left, the valve operating end thereyof will pass below and will not come into contact with the lower end of the valve lever 197, and consequently the valve 188 will not be opened to admit compressed air into the lpressure chamber 105. Should the obstruction whicliprevented the closing of the pot i ward on the rod 1.28 as soon as the lever 132 f comes in contact with the valve lever 197.

` In the phase vofthe operation of the machine or in the part of the complete cycle of operation now reached, the casting is complete in the die with the die in closed condition and clamped to the discharge nozzle 104 and with the pot cover 108 closed and clamped down upon the top of the pot. In the succeeding or latter part of the cycle of operation, the pot cover 108 is unclamped and'opened, the die is retracted and opened, the cores are withdrawn and the eJectors operated to eject the completed casting, and also an ingot 118 is fed to the open pot should the next castino operation be one at which an ingot is to be fed. These results are accomplished by reason of the continued concomitant rotation .of the several hereinbefore described cams, namely, the .cam 30, cams 14 and '15, and the two cams formed upon eachof the cam unit-s 21 and 22.

It has been found in practice that in operating-the machine at the high rate-of speed desired and of which the machine is capable,

that all of the compressed air above the molten metal in the pot 105 does not have time to exhaust through the pipe 190 and exhaust port 201 of the air valve 188 before the die moves away from the nozzle 104 ill the succeeding part of,-the cycle of operation of the machine. It is evident that if the die were retract-ed from the nozzle 104 while air under some compression remains in the pot 105, this compressed air would havek a tendency to force out some of the molten metal through the nozzle 104, which wouldnot only be dangerous to the opreator but would be in all respects objectionable. It has also been found that if the pipe190 and passages through the valve 188 are made suficiently large to permit all of the com pressed air to escape from the pot before the die is retracted, the rapid outrush of the compressed air from the pot 105 has a tendenc-y to take with it some of the molten metal. Therefore, to overcome these objections and provide for the desired rapid operation of the machine, the pot cover 108 is unclamped, and preferably slightly opened, while the die is still closed and clamped to the nozzle, so as to permit the escape of any air remaining under compression in the pot 105, before the die is retracted. It has been found that the air freely exhausts at the top of the pot as soon as the clamp screw 113 releases the pot cover 105.

In order to unclamp and initiate the opening of the pot cover 108 while the die remains closed and clamped to the nozzle 104, the cover operating cam 30 is set at a position of rotative adjustment relatively to its operating gear 13 such that the comparatively long middle cam dwell in the cam groove 193 of the cam 30 will pass beyond the cam roller 192 and the latter will be engaged by the reversely inclined or cover-opening p0rtion of the cam groove 193 in advance of the time that the cam grooves 59 in the cover platecams 14 and 15 and the cam grooves 55, which form die body cams on the cam units 21 and 22, act to retract the cover plate from the nozzle 104 and to move the die body 86 away from the cover plate 85, to open the die. This will be best understood by referring to the lower part of Fig. 14 in connection with the lower part of Fig. 13 and the lower part of Fig. 12 at the left. Also in this connection, it is to be noted that the air valve operating cam 33 is to be rotatively adjusted to a position in which the compressed air will be admitted into the pressure chamber immediately after the cores have been inserted in the die body 86, the die then being closed and clamped-to the nozzle 104 in casting position, and then the major part of the compressed air will be exhausted through the pipe 190 before the unclamping of the pot cover 108, as above described, and as will be more clearly understood b referring to Fi 15 in connection with ig. 12 'at the right and upper part, and Fig. 14 in its lower part.

In eiectinar the opening of the pot cover 108, the sli ing of the operatin rod 122 towards the right, as viewed in 10s. 1 and 6 first rocks the two-part rock shat 147 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6, and away from the broken line position thereof shown in Fig. 6, thereby, through the connections hereinbefore described, lifting the clamp screw 155 from its cover-clamping position. As the operat ing rod 122 continues its sliding movement, carrying with it the block or clamp 121, the latter strikes against the nuts 125 on the outer end of the cover operatin rod 120, so that this rod 120 then parta es of the sliding movement of the operatin rod 122. The rod 120 carries with it the sli ing block 117 which, through the connecting link 116, rocks the long upright lever 113 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6 and away from the broken line position thereof shown in Fig. 6, thereby, through the links 109, drawing back the cover 108 from the closed broken-line position thereof shown in Fig. 6, to its open position shown in full lines in Fig. 6 and also shown in Fig. 1.

After the opening movement of the pot cover 108 has been initiated, as above described, the continued rotation of the die cover plate cams 14 and 15 and the die body cams which are formed by the cam grooves 55 in the cam units 21 and 22 retracts the die covei` plate 85 from' the nozzle 104 and concurrently moves the die body 86 awa from the cover plate 85, as indicated by t e contour of the cam groove 59 in the lower part of Fig. 13, and of the cam groove 55 in the left and lower part of Fig. 12, of which the cam' groove 59 operates the die cover plate 85 and the cam roove 55 operates the die body 86. The re ative contour of these cam grooves is such that at first the tension on the springs 23 is relieved, without appreciable separating movement between the die body 86 and die cover plate 85. Following this, the die body 86 begins to travel out ward at a faster rate than the cover plate 85, so that thereby the die is opened while both of the die sections 86 and 85 are moving away from the nozzle 104 but at different rates of speed.

The contour of the cam grooves 57 in the cam units 2l and 22 is such, as will be observed at thc right and in the lower part. of Fig. 12, that at first the core slide 49 travels outward at substantially the same rate of speed as the die body slide 48, so that during this time the cores remain inserted in the casting and so remain until after the die body 86 has been separated from the die cover plate 85. The cores thus assist in holding the cast' in the "die body 86 and prevent it from a ering to the cover late 85, which might dislodge the casting om the die body 86 in such a way that it would stick in the die or might be twisted out of shape. After the die body 86 has moved away from the cover plate 85, the relative contour of the cam ooves is such that the core-positioning sli e 49 will move away fr'rom the die body slide 48, and both the horizontal cores, such as the core 95,.and the vertical cores 84, will be withdrawn, the movement of the core-positionin lide 49 away from'the die body slide 48 takin up the lost motion between the nuts 99 an 98 on the horizontal core rods 97 and at the same time taking up the lost motion between the nuts 81 and 80 on the vertical core studs 79. Then the continued movement of the core-position slide 49 away from the die bod slide 48 operates to withdraw gradually al of the cores, through the connections hereinbefore described.

Until after the cores have been withdrawn, asrzabove described, the ejector pins 96 remain in their retracted osition. Up to this point, the movement o the die body slide 48 towards the cover plate slide 50, as the die body 86 separates from the die cover plate 8.5, is effective only to take up the lost motion between the nuts 102 and 101 on the ejector rods 100. The relatively stationary position of the withdrawn cores is indicated by the parallel ortions of the cam grooves 55 and 57 at t e extreme lower part of Fig. 12. By reason of the continued movement of the die body slide 48 towards the cover plate slide 50, after the withdrawal of the cores, the engagement of the nuts 101 with the die cover plate slide 50 results in the pushing of the ejector pins 96 into the die cavity of the die body 86, to eject the casting, which drops into the pan or trough 202, the casting being thus ejected and delivered from the machine during the terminal part of the die opening movement, at this time the die cover plate slide 50 having come to rest, as is indicated by the straight portion of the cam groove 59 at the extreme lower part of Fig. 13.

Immediately following the ejecting of the casting, the cam gear 13 brings the cam depression 46 of the cam 45 opposite the cam roller 44, thereby releasing the clutch-disengaging springs 43 and 216, and the machine will stop at the end of a complete cycle, durinnr which a castin operation has been e'ecte as above descri ed. However, as herenbefore noted, the machine may be operated continuously, without stopping between successive castin o erations, merely by holding the lever 4 or the pedal) at the clutch-engaginfir position, thereby preventing the clutch-disengaging springs from disengaging the clutch. 

